Post navigation

Natural Sunscreen: Which Sunscreen to Use To Avoid Chemicals

I don’t know about you, but I was confused for a long time about sun care. We’ve been taught to avoid the sun, to slather on sunscreen, and stay indoors from noon until 4pm to avoid the sun’s harmful UVA and UVB rays. However, recently, many new studies have been coming out about the importance of vitamin D, which is the sun vitamin. So what is the truth about sun care? And how do you decide which sunscreen to use for yourself and your family?

If you’re an avid user of sunblock, have you considered this question? Why is the National Cancer Institute reporting that rates of skin melanoma have tripled in the last 35 years, if knowledge and sales of sun care products have soared? The answer, it seems, is that not all sunscreens are created equal. Also, not all of the rules about sun care out there are true.

For example, you should not avoid the sun altogether. You need about 15 minutes of direct sunlight every day to get a dose of Vitamin D. However, if you plan to be out in the sun for a prolonged period of time, you need to decide which sunscreen to use to protect yourself.

Health Hazards from Sunblock

Many sunblocks found in drugstores contain dangerous chemicals that, instead of preventing cancer, can actually cause it. Severe side effects have been found, such as skin rashes and allergies, interference with hormone production, reproductive issues, etc., according to the Environmental Working Group (EWG). Dr. Oz, along with the EWG, cautions people to avoid using sun care products with oxybenzone (an endocrine disruptor) and vitamin A (or retinyl palmitate), which may increase your risk of cancer. The problem is that in order to work, these chemicals seep into the skin, and cause health-related issues.

Which Sunscreen to Use to Avoid Chemicals

So, the question remains: which sunscreen to use? If some sunscreens actually cause more issues than it benefits, what do we do? The answer is to use a natural sunscreen that does not have harmful chemicals. The EWG recommends using sun care products that contain zinc oxide and titanium dioxide. These sunblocks contain minerals that do not enter the skin, but stay on top of the skin layer, blocking harmful UV rays.

My Sunscreen Recommendations

For the face: Devita Solar Protective Moisturizer SPF 30+ – This is a natural facial sunblock that contains zinc oxide. Other than zinc oxide, the sunblock is made from purified water, organic aloe vera gel, coconut oil, vitamin E, grape seed extract, and other harmless ingredients. On a scale of 1-10 of harmful products, it’s rated 1 by the EWG, meaning that it is completely safe to use.

For the body: Blue Lizard Australian Sunscreen, Sensitive SPF 30+ – This sunscreen is chemical and fragrance free, contains zinc oxide, and is waterproof. It is rated 2 on a scale of 1-10 by EWG. I have used it for over five years on my entire family, including my son when he was an infant. It has protected us from sunburns around the world, and is a sun care product I recommend to everyone.